Kaleo O AAPI Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 1
AUGUST 22 nd 2008 this week s CONTENTS 1 2 3 Message from AAPI Vote DIrector, CharmaIne Manansala OBAMA CAMPaIgn ANNOUNCES GENERAL election EXECUtIVE AND steering COMMIttee OF AAPI FOR OBAMA LEADershIP COUncIl SENATOR OBAMA CELEBRATES PAKIstan AND InDIan InDEPENDENCE DAY AND ENVIsIons A FUTURE WIth STRONG, FRUItfUL US SOUTH asia relations OBAMA CAMPaIgn ANNOUNCES NEW AD highlighting PLAN TO PUT MIDDLE CLASS first 4 5 AAPI STAFF SPotlIght: NEERA TANDEN MOMENTUM FOR CHANGE continues TO BUIlD 8 STAY CONNECTED WIth THE AAPI VOTE TEAM
A Message from Charmaine Manansala: Dear Friends, Our network and movement are building up! With your help, we are galvanizing the AAPI community to participate in the political process and ensure victory in November! On August 14th, the Obama campaign hit a milestone; there a now over 2,000,000 people who have contributed to the campaign. It s more important than ever to keep our movement growing and show the power of millions of grassroots supporters coming together to work for change. As we head to the convention, I encourage each of you to spread the word to your friends and family about Senator Obama and his campaign. Please contact us at aapi@barackobama.com to find out about events happening near you, help in empowering the AAPI community to register to vote, and to get involved in the electoral process. Learn more at www.barackobama.com. Thank you, Charmaine Manansala AAPI Vote Director 1
OBAMA CAMPaIgn EXPANDS NEW MEMBershIP OF THE GENERAL ELECTION EXECUTIVE AND STEERING COMMITTEE OF AAPI FOR OBAMA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Saturday, August 9, 2008 (Chicago, IL) The Obama campaign announced new membership of the executive and steering committees of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) for Obama Leadership Council. The general election committee was expanded to include AAPI supporters of former presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards. We are fortunate to have such a strong team of AAPI leaders from across the country speaking and living Senator Obama s message of change. A special thank you to the three Co Chairs of the Leadership Council Nancy Chen, Ann Kalayil and Stan Toy. They were instrumental in introducing Senator Obama to the AAPI community during the primary season. In addition, the Obama campaign was galvanized by the grassroots efforts of Asian Americans for Obama, South Asians for Obama, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress and others similar groups. The members of the ExecutIVe and SteerIng CoMMIttees of AAPIs for Obama LeadershIP CouncIl are: ExecutIVe CoMMIttee Jacinta Titialii Abbott, AS Gloria Caoile, VA Nancy Chen, IL- CHAIR Ann Lata Kalayil, IL- CHAIR Hrishi Karthikeyan, NY Dale Minami, CA Konrad Ng, HI Catherine Park, CA Stanley Toy, CA- CHAIR Lee Pao Xiong, MN Janet Yang, CA SteerIng CoMMIttee: Rajen Anand, CA Preeta Bansal, NY C.P. Chen, OH Curtis Chin, CA Rocky Chin, NY Martha Choe, WA Robert Gee, VA Lisa Hasegawa, MD Paul Igasaki, VA Keith Kamisugi, CA Bill Kaneko, HI Ramey Ko, TX David Lang, CA Rozita Lee, NV Asif Mahmood, CA Mona Mohib, DC Karen Nakandakare, CO Irene Natividad, VA Hung Nguyen, VA Jadine Nielsen, HI Prem Shunmugavelu, MN Bouapha Toommaly, DC Cuc Vu, DC Eddie Wong, CA We welcome these new members to the AAPIs for Obama team! To read the full press release, please visit: http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/konrad/gg5kkj 2
SENATOR OBAMA CELEBRATES PAKIstan AND InDIan InDEPENDENCE DAY AND ENVISIONS A FUTURE WITH STRONG, FRUITFUL US SOUTH ASIA RELATIONS This month marks the 61st anniversaries of India s and Pakistan s Independence. Senator Obama extended his warm wishes through letters to both the Pakistani American and Indian American communities commemorating this important milestone, praising their active involvement in strengthening American society, and recognizing their love of country and family. Senator Obama acknowledged that, Our strengthened relationship with India and Pakistan has been achieved in part due to the active involvement of Indian and Pakistani Americans. Indian and Pakistani Americans have been strong contributors to the local communities they have settled in and around the country. They balance love of the homeland with a strong commitment to America, and their knowledge, skills, values and entrepreneurial spirit have immeasurably benefited both countries. These efforts have placed a significant role in creating a blueprint for bilateral relations that bring our nations closer. To read Senator Obama s greetings to the Pakistani American and Indian American communities in their entirety, please visit http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/aapihome. OBAMA CAMPaIgn ANNOUNCES NEW AD highlighting PLAN TO PUT MIDDLE CLASS FIRST Wednesday, August 13, 2008 (Chicago, IL) The Obama campaign unveiled a new TV ad focused on the economy to air beginning on Thursday, August 14, 2008. The new ad highlights Senator Obama s plan to break with the failing economic policies of the past eight years and put America s middle class first. John McCain has supported George Bush 95 percent of the time, including spending ten billion dollars a month for the war in Iraq while the Iraqis sell oil for record prices, giving Iraq a $79 billion oil surplus at the expense of America s economy. Barack Obama knows that families need immediate and lasting relief that s why he will put America s middle class first. Senator Obama will responsibly end the war in Iraq, restore balance and fairness to our economy, and give working people immediate and meaningful relief. To watch the Book TV ad, visit http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/book_ad/ 3
AAPI STAFF SPotlIght: NEERA TANDEN Neera Tanden is currently the Director of Domestic Policy for the Obama Presidential Campaign. Before that, she served as Policy Director for the Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign where she directed all policy work, ranging from domestic to economic to foreign affairs, and was in charge of debates. Tanden previously served as Senator Clinton s Legislative Director and was the Deputy Campaign Manager and Policy Director for Clinton s Senate campaign. She was formerly Senior Vice President for Domestic Policy at the Center for American Progress and served as the Issues Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Prior, she was Senior Policy Advisor to the First Lady in the White House and Associate Director of Domestic Policy. Neera received her Bachelor of Science degree at UCLA and received her J.D. from Yale Law School. 4
MOMENTUM FOR CHANGE CONTINUES TO BUILD Monday, August 11 12, 2008 (Virginia) Kal Penn Makes Political Push in Virginia Actor Kal Penn, who currently appears in the FOX medical drama, House, visited Northern Virginia to campaign for Senator Obama. Penn met with volunteers and participated in phone banks at offices of the Campaign for Change, an offshoot of Obama s campaign funded by the Democratic National Committee. Penn also headlined a local Asian Americans For Obama and South Asians For Obama event and joined Young Democrats canvassing in Richmond. The following ABC News article provides more details about Penn s visit to Virginia: http://abcnews.go.com/politics/story?id=5561295&page=1. Special thanks to Varun Nikore for providing photos of Penn s visit. 5
Saturday, August 9, 2008 (San Francisco, CA) Filipinos for Obama March for Hope The Filipinos for Obama (FFO) effort hit the streets this past Saturday to spread the message that Senator Obama is the candidate for the Filipino American Community. With a large contingent, the FFO campaign passed out Filipinos for Obama stickers and buttons, and energized the crowed chanting YES WE CAN at Pistahan, a jam packed Filipino culture festival and parade in San Francisco. FFO volunteers were met with much enthusiasm, engaging scores of Filipino Americans who have never been engaged in the political process but find hope in Senator Obama s Campaign. The FFO effort registered dozens of new voters and signed up over a hundred motivated volunteers who are ready to do their part to elect the next president. The official campaign kickoff will be on August 19 in San Francisco, and will rally hundreds of community leaders. Wednesday, August 6, 2008 (New York, NY) Meet and Greet with DNC Chairman Howard Dean This event was hosted by the Asian American Finance Committee and the South Asian American Leadership Council. Chairman Dean urged the South Asians to support Senator Obama s candidacy. Chairman Dean said. A terrific thing about Barack Obama is that he is not just reaching out only to Democrats, but is reaching out to all kinds of people: Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, all who want a good government. To read more about DNC Chairman Howard Dean s remarks at the event, please check out http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/aug/07uspoll.htm. 6
Sunday, July 20, 2008 (Maryland) Maryland Asian Pacific Americans for Obama (MD-APA Obama) have been working hard on several projects to help energize the local AAPI community in supporting Senator Obama s candidacy. Recently, they launched the Asian Pacific American High School Student Internship Program, which will provide students with the valuable opportunity to travel to Virginia, a battleground state, help canvass and register voters, speak with constituents, and participate in other activities. Delegate Susan Lee noted, Not since Kennedy has there been so many young people inspired, excited, and energized about a candidate and this program will enable the students, who are our next generation of leaders, to play a meaningful role in this election. MAYA REACHES OUT TO asian AMerIcan WOMEN AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO SUPPORT AND VOLUNTEER FOR BARACK OBAMA Thursday, July 26, 2008 (Tampa, Florida) An article featured in World Journal, highlights Maya Soetoro Ng s visit to Florida where she met with the Asian Chamber of Commerce and other Asian American community groups, and attended a welcome party at the Hong Kong Island Community Friendship Center. Maya also shared some personal stories about her brother, Barack Obama. A link to the article (in Chinese) can be found at: http://worldjournal.com/wj-at-news.php?nt_seq_id=1750510 7
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE AAPI VOTE TEAM We need YOUR HELP to reach out to as many voters in our community to empower them to be involved in the campaign. Please encourage your friends and family to sign up to join the AAPI for Obama group at http://my.barackobama.com/aapiforobama. They will receive news and updates on what the AAPI Vote Team is planning, access our weekly newsletter, and purchase AAPI for Obama gear. AAPI Vote Team Contact InformatIon aapi@barackobama.com obamaaapivotedirector@gmail.com For more InformatIon about Obama for AmerIca please VIsIt www.barackobama.com http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/aapihome CHECK OUT AAPI ON FACEBOOK Obama AAPI Vote Director AAPI Students for Obama Opt Out of Newsletter If you wish to unsubscribe from Ka Leo, please send an email to obamaaapivotedirector@gmail.com with the subject line UNSUBSCRIBE. PaID for by Obama for AmerIca 8